A culture of corruption and impunity is seeping through every level of government and corroding society, Agang leader Mamphela Ramphele said.

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"It is estimated that corruption robs us of more than R30 billion of the government's budget every year through an abusive procurement system," she said in Johannesburg.

"The most outrageous example is in the private palace costing more than R200 million which was built for President [Jacob] Zuma at Nkandla."

Ramphele listed other examples, such as irregular leasing for police buildings, and civil servants and their families doing business with government.

She said it was no wonder that the Eastern Cape health department had "collapsed" after government acknowledged that 8000 public servants in the province were doing business with the department.

"These are not just bumps on the road to a better future. These are not the inevitable pains of a transitional period," Ramphele said.

"They are a betrayal of the founding principles of our democracy, a betrayal of what our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers, who fought all those freedom fights and died."

Speaking at the Wits Origin Centre, she told students, media, and business people that the fight against apartheid had not been fought so that millions of South Africans could live like the "forgotten people".

It was important for South Africans to overcome their "fear" and stand up against corruption and patronage.

Quoting former president Nelson Mandela, she said "never, never, never again" should the oppression of one by another in South Africa be allowed.

"Let us mark a formidable war on corruption," Ramphele said.

"We can't govern a 21st century democracy without knowledge, science, and technology... Our [Agang's] policies are going to be based on evidence."

COMMENTS [ 29 ]

One of mys favourites...see why women make better leaders
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Agreed, but Rampehele is not one of them, unfortunately. Why join the Election race so late?? poor timing indeed. It takes 5 years to form a formidable party to challenge for power

Mother Mamphela, the likes of you are just elected Pinnochio’s of the system that are elected to continue the legacy of mental slavery in Africa by confusing the already needy blacks and promise them land and honey while sipping their blood from a golden cup.

You know very well the irregularities of the government but that of businesses you don’t? Businesses also hire massive buildings in the name of economy whilst their employees earn peanuts and works in shitty conditions. How about that?

Ramphele only sees corruption when there is a change of guard at Luthuli House, when the previous administration headed by Thabo, her best friend Moeletsi's brother, she only saw opportunities. She became UCT Vice-Chancellor as a result of the same ANC policies of AA and EE, today she thinks she ascended to the VC chair through individual academic brilliance. She became a BEE mogul and sat on a number of boards including minning houses (making her a multi-millionare) because of the same policies she now want us to believe they are corrupt.

Will she give away the millions she ammased through "corruption"?. Me thinks not, her ilk dot the South African landscape, Zille, Barney Pityana, Shilowa and wife and many more, they all now believe they got to where they are through individual efforts.

Those that beneffited under apartheid believe they deserved to be where they are because they are "educated", they believe that Zuma should not be president because he is "not educated", they dare not venture into why only them had the best education and skills which were denied to Zuma.

Those who beneffited under the new dispensation are only loyal when their friends are in power, once a power shift occurs, they go 'Coping' and cry corruption.

Good luck Doc. I am staying put, like Buggs Barney said "I am not a joiner".

That's why I do not understand this woman and will not take her seriously... How many month now since her announcement?? And she is still backing like a injured or hungery Chihuahua!!
Why is stoping her from colecting memebrship fees already? Waiting for 2014 elections? Mxm!